Industry lawyers are confident that HUD’s 2001 policy statement on yield-spread premiums will still carry enough clout in the lower courts despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial last month to accept an industry appeal in Culpepper III. The Supreme Court gave no reason for denying a petition by Irwin Mortgage Corp. and two other supporting briefs to nullify an 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling and order a rehearing of the case.